Method of treating vegetable fibrous material and resulting product



Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGES HEBERLEIN AND ALBERT BODMER, 0F WATTWIL, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNORS TO HEBERLETN PATENT CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK METHOD OF TREATING VEGETABLE FIBRQUS MATERIAL AND RESULTING PRODUCT No Drawing. Application filed November 23, 1928, Serial No. 321,505, and in Germany November 28, 1927.

This invention relates to method of treating vegetable "fibrous material and resulting product, and more particularly to the treatment of such material successively with a plurality of swelling agents without an intermediate coagulation of the fibre between successive swelling actions.

The object of the invention is to produce improved permanent finish effects in-cellulosic or vegetable fibrous material in an eflicient and economical manner.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description wherein certain preferred ways of carrying out the invention are set forth, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The successive action on cotton fabric, of the swelling agents caustic alkali solution and copper oxide ammonia in the order stated and without interruption of the swelling action on the cotton, is 'known. Such a process was proposed for the purpose of imparting a silky luster to short-staple American cotton, as an improvement upon the hitherto customary mercerizing process which yielded unsatisfactory results.

Now,-we have discovered that an interesting novel technical effect is obtained if one proceeds in the reverse manner and first causes copper oxide ammonia and then caustic alkali-solution to act successively upon the vegetable fiber, in which connection one avoids a coagulation between the two swelling-processes, i. e., produces the second swelling action as a direct continuation of the first, without interruption or coagulation.

In practice one proceeds as follows: After the first swelling with copper oxide ammonia has taken place, the excess of the swelling agent is removed by pressing out, squeezing out, centrifuging, or'the like, beforethe acis .fir'st effected with, the expensive copper oxide ammonia solution and the excess is thereafter squeezedout, whereupon the in1- pregnation with the cheap caustic alkali sothis invention is much superior and more far reaching than is the case with the prior art treatment where after the cupric ammonium swelling action a coagulation of the fibrous material is permitted to take place before the succeeding swelling action with the caustic soda is commenced.

The new process may be applied to all kinds of vegetable fabrics as well as to loose fibers. The vegetable fibrous material may be subjected to the treatment in a bleached or otherwise previously treated state, as well as in a mercerized state. Furthermore, fabrics composed of vegetable fibers of various origin or also mixed with other natural or artificial fibers may likewise be improved in this manner. The effects that are obtained vary according to the nature of the fibrous material that is improved.- Thus, semi-stifi' or still as well as linen-like qualities may be attained with or without a lustrous efiect. By means of suitable handling, as will be understood by those skilled in the art in the light of this disclosure, it is also possible to proceed in such a way that, in the action of the swelling agents, the fibrous fabric is not changed through and through, but that the swelling takes place only on one side and superficially. Furthermore the action both of the copper oxide ammonia and of the caustic alkali solution may be eflected while the fabric is either in a loose state or is under tension.

By the new process. it'is also possible to obtain patterned effects by means of local action of the swelling agents. For this purpose one may employ not only direct applica tion by means of printing spraying or painting with or withoutthickeners, blit also resist printing coupled with subsequent immersion in the swelling agents. The processes described in United States Patent 1,7 39,965 dated Dec. 17, 1929, for the patterning of fibrous fabrics by means of hot press- 5 ing, are also suitable, in combination with the mode of operation of the present process, for the attainment of special effects.

Examples of execution 1o Eaamqrle 1.Bleached cotton fabric is impregnated with a copper oxide ammonia solution having a content of grams of Cu per liter and, after a brief period of exposure, is then mercerized with a concentrated caustic soda solution of mercerizing strength, in an ordinary mercerizing machine, without intermediate washing or drying. After the removal of the caustic solution, it is acidified, washed, and dried on a tension frame. One obtains a fabric of a linen-like character which can be still fur ther intensified by calendering or mangling. Example 2.A coarse cotton yarn is bleached and is'mercerized in the usual manner under tension. Thereupon, after the rinsing and drying, it is impregnated with copper oxide ammonia solution having a content of 15 grams of Cu per liter. Immediate 1y afterward, mercerization is effected by means of concentrated caustic soda solution, in direct sequence after a brief period of exposure, without prior rinsing. After the usual acidification and washing, the yarn is dried. The yarn thus treated shows a. lustrous linen-like efi'ect.

Ewamplc 3.Upon a coarse, appropriately bleached, mercerized cotton fabric a pattern is pressed in, in accordance with said applithat has been heated to 180 C. The fabric that has been given this preliminary treatment is drawn during a short space of time through a copper oxide ammonia solution, the excess of the solution being pressed out in this process, and the fabric thereupon mercerized in a tensed state with concentrated caustic soda solution. After the usual acidification, washing, and drying, the fabric has a damask-like patterning, inasmuch as the pressed portions have retained the original character of the fabric, while the remaining portions of the surface manifest a stiff, linenlike quality.

While we have described the invention in detail with respect to certain specific ways of producing certain desired permanent finish effects, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the inven- 4 Having thus described our invention, what cation 147,850, by means of a pressing body tion, that various changes and modifica we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Method of producing permanent finish effects on cellulosic material which comprises subjecting the material to a swelling action with cupric ammonium solution of swelling strength and then without permitting an intermediate coagulation of the material subjecting it to a swelling action with caustic alkali of swelling strength.

2. Method of producing permanent finish effects on cellulosic fabric which comprises subjecting the fabric to a swelling action with cupric ammonium solution of swelling strength, removing the excess solution from the fabric and then without an intermediate action which would produce interruption of the swelling action, subjecting the material to a swelling action with caustic alkali of swelling strength.

3. Method of producing permanent finish effects on cotton fabric which comprises subjecting the material to a swelling action with cupric ammonium solution of strength and then without permitting an intermediate coagulation of the material, subjecting it to a swelling action with caustic soda of mercerizing strength.

4. Method of producing permanent finish pattern effects on cellulosic fabric which comprises subjecting localized portions of the fabric to a swelling action with cupric ammonium solution of swelling strength and-then without permitting an intermediate coagulation of such portions of the material subjecting said portions to a swelling action with caustic alkali of swelling strength.

5. Method of producing permanent finish eflects on cellulose material which comprises subjecting the material to a swelling action with cupric ammonium solution of about 15- 20 grams of copper per liter and without intermediate coagulation, subjecting the sotreated material to caustic soda of mercerizing strength.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

GEORGES HEBERLEIN. ALBERT BODMER.

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